Ohio State Honors Seniors, Defeats Rutgers 79-52

Ohio State (23-7, 14-3) ended it’s two game losing streak on Senior Night in emphatic fashion, defeating Rutgers (13-17, 3-14) by a final score of 79-52.

C.J. Jackson led the Buckeyes with 18 points off the bench while Kaleb Wesson contributed 14 and Kam Williams added 13 points on the night.

Chris Holtmann started all four of his Senior Night honorees as Kam Williams returned to the starting line up for the first time in six games and Andrew Dakich started for the first time in his career.

The Buckeyes would open a 30-11 lead with six minutes to play in the first half behind an early 11 points from Kam Williams. However, Rutgers would finish the half on an 16-2 run, with Kaleb Wesson in the locker room with an apparent ankle injury, to cut the first half lead to 32-27 going in to the half.

With Kaleb Wesson returning to the game to start the second half the Buckeyes regained complete control of the game, going on an 18-2 run to build a 50-29 lead with just over 11 minutes to play.

The Buckeyes would coast the rest of the way to a 27-point final margin as walk on student athletes Joey Lane and Matt Lehmann each scored a three in the final minute of the game.

The win marked the last home game for four-year seniors Kam Williams and Jae’Sean Tate and graduate transfer Andrew Dakich. While Keita Bates-Diop has not formally announced his intent to go pro after this season all signs point to him doing so. With an emotional post-game speech, Bates-Diop said good bye without actually saying so.

With the win, the Buckeyes stay within reach of a Big Ten regular season title. They’ll need to win Friday night at Indiana and have Michigan State lose at Wisconsin on Sunday in order to do. Regardless Friday’s outcome in Bloomington, Ohio State has already clinched a double bye in next week’s Big Ten tournament in New York City.